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s. ivo alla sapienza

The Sapienza (=wisdom) Palace has a long history.

Pope Eugenio IV began it in 1400, in order to join the university of Rome in the same place. The original site of the university was Trastevere, where Pope Bonifacio VIII, in 1300, opened it; later the university was transferred into many houses in S. Eustachio quarter. The works to build the new university were completed in 1670, when Pope Alessandro VII Chigi inaugurated S. Ivo alla Sapienza.

Many architects were involved in the construction, Guidetto Guidetti in 1568 began the restoration of the previous buildings, then Pirro Lagorio continued the works and the great Giacomo della Porta designed the façade at last the top of the tops: Borromini raised S. Ivo alla Sapienza. 

Borromini attended to S. Ivo from 1642 to 1660, he completed the Sapienza courtyard by means of the concave façade of S. Ivo; on the façade the convex dome tambour raises, concave and convex shapes cast into the sky the helicoidal lantern and on top the Cross.   

This is one of the most impressive testimony of Borromini’s tortured genius: the search for harmony through the shapes’ opposite movement, the maniacal care of every detail, the flight to the sky.  

Differently from most of the Church of Rome S. Ivo is opened only on Sunday from 9.00 to 12.00 (Mass at 9.30).